The community production at York Theatre Royal is always an event I anticipate with pleasure. No other provincial theatre promotes local talent and treasure the city’s history with quite so much enthusiasm.

By Angie Millard

Photos by SR Taylor Photography

There have been a string of productions featuring the historic Mystery plays and exploring topics such as Henry VIII’s visits, the achievements of the ‘railway king’ George Hudson, Female Emancipation, and now this time we return to the famous Rowntree factories in York as the centre of chocolate making.

Seebohm Rowntree was a pioneering reformer who investigated poverty and through his studies and began the work which led to the formation of the Welfare State. The play written by Misha Duncan-Barry and Bridget Foreman uses the voices of York residents from the past and modern times to tell the story, asking what is Seebohm Rowntree’s real legacy? 

Juliet Foster began consultation two years ago with resident playwright Misha Duncan-Barry, collecting ideas and stories from the community and using one theme to shape the story. This became exploration documenting Seebohm Rowntree’s meticulous research into the living conditions of the poor and his reforms by way of housing, working hours and leisure pursuits. His changes resulted in the creation of New Earswick as a compact example for living. The play follows the changes that occur and the return to threats of poverty and unemployment, taking us through to zero hours contracts and the emergence of efficiency as the deciding factor on deciding profitable results. The conclusion of this story is very bleak.

Antony Jardine is Seebohm Rowntree and Amelia Donkor his deputy, advising and researching as a contributor to his book: Poverty: A Study of Town Life and managing New Earswick. It is noteworthy that many of his close employees were women. Donkor is his personal advisor and support; he also employs Brynhild Benson, played by Christie Barnes, a gymnast who introduces exercise classes and provides a striking centre piece to full cast scenes as she strikes poses on a trapeze. We also meet Kay Kendall, a hard-working academic who dedicates herself to Rownree’s projects. Rosy Rowley plays her with a simple dedication which turns to sadness as we meet her at the end of the play, a victim of Alzheimer’s who is no longer able to communicate.

Scenically the production is rich and varied; the lighting designed by Craig Kilmartin and programming by Peter Howl is key. The set which Sara Perks has designed is exciting and adaptable. The stage is divided into two areas, a lower part where working people’s lives are shown in a factory and a hovel, and a space above divided by two flights of stairs where important decisions are made. A forestage has also been converted into steps to facilitate more intimate scenes. There are screens being flown in and an ingenious use of door frames on casters, moved at speed by the cast to denote changes of time and location. The costumes (as always) are impressive, and designer Hazel Fall has had a huge team of volunteers to help realise her vision. The list of 95 names of those working on costume, props, hair, makeup, tech and stage management, is eye watering. I should also mention a professional milliner, embroiderer, and breakdown artist. The latter (for those of you who are now losing track) are there to spray hems and make costumes look authentically worn. Phew! What a production team to manage and it all ran like clockwork!

Co-director Paul Birch quotes one of my favourite Theatre Practitioners, Augusto Boal, in saying that theatre can help us build a future and the play endeavours to guide us in that direction, but is it just the NHS which is failing? The woman who appears to Rowntree, nursing a sick child and unable to get an appointment with her GP, is one example but I suppose modern education, social housing, benefits, lack of secure employment… need I continue, are a subject for another play.

What we have in His Last Report is a huge community effort. Many actors are used in set pieces, and a few are featured in individual scenes like the railway journey to London in which Rowntree is coerced into submitting a report by Churchill, played effectively by Colin Beveridge and Andrew Wrenn as an earnest David Lloyd George. The guard played by Paul Prior added a welcome comic cameo to this scene.

Rowntree is used as an observer in modern times too where he meets executive efficiency wizards who confuse and exasperate him. Maurice Crighton also makes an appearance as an aged actor, inspiring school children and quoting Shakespeare on the fate of men who are ‘as flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods; they kill us for their sport.’ A sober thought to reflect upon which Rowntree is reminded of later.

YTR are to be congratulated for this community production, which is visually excellent and, if a little solemn, reminds us of the origins of the welfare state and the continuing need to care for others. Perhaps, as the seamstress played by Izzy Carrick says, it may give us ‘a wee prick’?

His Last Report is being performed at York Theatre Royal until 3 August 2025.